I Finally Review My Hero Academia: Final Season

My Hero Academia Final Season Ep 1 Review

Yes, I am well aware just how far behind I am on the final season of My Hero Academia. Yes, I am well aware that by the time this goes out, the climax of the anime will have already taken place. However, events in real life led me to procrastinate on the matter. That, and given how this was the final season, I wanted to wait until the dub came out, since this could be the last time we hear the cast playing their roles in the show. But that doesn’t mean my enthusiasm for the show hasn’t diminished. So, for one last season, I’m ready to go beyond, PLUS ULTRA!!! And where better to start than with where we last left off: with Iron All Might fighting All for One.

Iron Might vs. AFO, Round Two

The first few minutes of the opening episode to the final season are meant to serve as a recap of everything that’s happening. Or rather, at just how bad things were getting for the heroes. Dabi was about to go nuclear, Toga’s use of Twice’s Quirk was overwhelming everyone, and All for One was making a beeline for Shigaraki and Deku.

It was hard to remember at first, but this opening does a good job of reminding us just how big this final war really is. Everything that we’ve seen up to this point has been taking place simultaneously across the entire country. In hindsight, it reminds me a lot of the Fourth Great Ninja War in Naruto as well as the Marineford and Wano Country Arcs in One Piece. They are all massive wars with a lot going on, so the story has to take its time focusing on them to give the viewers the experience we deserve. Of course, the main focus of the episode has to be on something, and in this case, it’s the continued fight between All for One and All Might.

What an Epic Fight!

One of the themes that I really like about My Hero Academia is the idea that you don’t need superpowers to be a superhero. The annals of comic books are rife with characters like Batman and Iron Man, AKA heroes who have no powers. Yet despite being physically normal human beings, they’re considered heavy hitters who can go toe-to-toe with gods. Why? Because they have the resources, and more importantly, the smarts to pull it off. And as this entire episode demonstrates, so does All Might.

I’m not gonna lie: when I read this entire fight in the manga, I was having the time of my life. Without any powers and just using a suit of armor, All Might was able to push All for One into a corner, even if it was only for a short while. More importantly, though, I liked how his armor allowed him to emulate the powers of all his students. It gave the entire beatdown the feeling of a collective effort. All for One may not have powers anymore, but he’s far from powerless.

Aoyama Redeems Himself

Special mention should go to how All Might paid tribute to Aoyama with his attack. I’ve never held it against Aoyama for being All for One’s spy, and I don’t think the other fans have. Aoyama is more of a hero than he realizes, and I know that he’ll eventually return to UA with his head held high.

Speaking of Aoyama, whatever focus that isn’t on the fight between All Might and All for One winds up being on Aoyama and Hagakure pulling a victory out of the jaws of defeat. They’re not the strongest of the UA students, but as All Might has shown, brute strength isn’t everything. Plus, I did enjoy getting to see what Hagakure looks like.

The fans are right. It was a sin for Horikoshi to keep this angel hidden away from us for so long.

This was a good start to the final season of MHA. And it only gets better once you see the final OP for the series. It gives off a lot of “this is the final battle” vibes to it, and I adore that. The anime needs to go big now or go home. Better yet, go beyond, PLUS ULTRA!!

I Give “Toshinori Yagi: Rising/Origin” a 4/5

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